Source: "History of the City of Spokane and Spokane Country." S. J Clarke
Publishng Company, 1912.
Archibald Grant Rigg, a Spokane architect, was born in Stratford, Ontario,
April 5, 1878, his parents being William and Arabella (Harvey)Rigg, the former a
native of Ayr, Scotland, and the latter of Lancastershire, England. The Riggs
were well known in the land of the hills and heather and the grandfather was a
soldier under the duke of Wellington at the battle of Waterloo. William Rigg
became a well known capitalist and with his brother owned large lumber mills and
flour mills at Stratford, Ontario. He also served as mayor of the town and took
an active part in guiding its destinies and promoting its development. He died
in 1905, having long survived his wife, who passed away August 17, 1888. She
was a cousin of the Allans, well known as proprieters of the transatlantic
steamship lines and connected with a very old and prominent Scotch family. Mr.
and Mrs. William Rigg had three sons, the brothers of our subject being: Dr.
Charles F., a physician and surgeon of !
Spokane; and William J., a practicing attorney of St. Louis.
Archibald G. Rigg was educated at Trinity College at Toronto, Canada, and at
Columbia College of New York. He was also a student under James Balfour of the
University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and broad and liberal training fitted him for
large responsibilities in later life. He began business at Danville, Illinois,
as an architect under the firm name of Lewis & Rigg and there did work for
"Uncle" Joe Cannon, long the distinguished speaker of the house of
representatives. He executed a vast amount of work in Danville but on account
of the ill health of his wife came to the west. For two years he was head
draughtsman with Cutter & Malmgren and for a similar period with Albert Held.
His father's illness called him back to the east and he remained there for four
years to straighten up affairs, after which he entered into partnership with
Mssrs. Foltz and Parker, under the firm name of Foltz, Parker & Rigg, at
Indianapolis. There he conducted a large amount of state work!
, building libraries, school houses, etc. The firm erected the Madison insane
asylum at a cost of one million five hundred thousand dollars, also the First
Christian Church of Indianapolis, a number of school houses and the home of
Senator Beveridge. Later Mr. Rigg returned to Spokane and formed a partnership
with Julius A. Zittel under the firm name of Zittel & Rigg, with offices in the
Jamieson Building.
As a companion and helpmate on the journey of life, Mr. Rigg chose Miss
Maime Ethel Beck, of Indianapolis, a daughter of George C. Beck, who is a
capitalist now residing at the San Marco apartments. Mr and Mrs. Rigg have one
daughter, Marian Beck, whose birth occurred on the 20th of July, 1911. The
parents are members of the Knox Presbyterian Church and are socially prominent
and popular. Mr. Rigg is a republican and is a Mason, belonging to Oriental
Lodge, No. 74, F. & A.M. He belongs also to the Chamber of Commerce, is a life
member of the Spokane Amateur Athletic Club, the Inland Club, the Rotary Club
and the Spokane Architectural Club and also of the Indiana Chapter of the
American Institute of Architects. He stands prominent in his profession and yet
into other lines of activity he has directed his efforts with beneficial effect
and has contributed in substantial and gratifying measure to public progress
along many lines.
Submitted by: Margaret Rigg Myhre,